Dancing in the Rain
by Aurora the Enchantress
Summary: Well, it's my first try at a *real* fanfic... so please, give me constructive criticism if you can! H/G, and R/H. Please, if you do not like the couples, don't waste your time flaming me. ^_^ thank you! please r/r!


A cookie to anyone who can guess where this poem is from! (I didn't write it, and it's not anything special, I just like it):  
  
If only, if only, the moon speaks no reply,  
Reflecting the sun and all that's gone by,   
Be strong my weary wolf, turn around boldly,  
Fly high, my baby bird,  
My angel, my only.  
  
~*~  
  
E.B.A/N (Excessively Boring Author's Note): I had fun writing this story. It's practically the first thing I've EVER written that has romance in it. I have a REALLY BIG romance block. Hmm... I got the inspiration for this one day, a week or two ago when it was raining. Go figure. It's not messed up-I just tried to make it somewhat cute. You can tell me in your REVIEWS (hint, hint... ^_^) if I failed miserably or not... Oh, and please, no flames!   
  
Oh, notice on my Messed Up series: Cho2007, I'm trying really hard to get sugar-drunk, but somehow it's not working! Argh! I'm almost done with the next one! Believe me, I am! Anyway, thanx for reviews, peoples. I love reviews. I'm just rambling, aren't I? Well, I'll end this E.B.A.N. now!  
  
~*~  
  
Dancing in the Rain  
  
By Aurora the Enchantress  
  
*****  
  
Plink. Plink. Plink.   
  
Rain hit the window, streamed down the glass in small rivulets, and slowly dripped to the ground.  
  
Ginny stared moodily out of the high window of her dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. She couldn't concentrate on her homework. That happened a lot these days. She watched the raindrops trickle down the glass pane. She loved the rain. Ginny stood, looking at the fat raindrops falling peacefully from the sky high above to the ground far below. It was so peaceful, it made her feel happy. It didn't ever make her feel depressed or sad to watch the rain; in fact, it usually made her want to dance.  
  
Ginny instantly forgot her studies and raced down the stairs. Climbing through the portrait hole, she didn't even bother to put on a cloak or shoes. Ginny opened the wide door leading outside of Hogwarts, into the courtyard. A fresh blast of cool air blew into her face, making her waist-length red hair swirl around her.  
  
She laughed for no particular reason and ran out into the rain. The mud squelched under her bare feet. For a moment she stood, her face lifted, smiling, towards the sky.  
  
The rain falling made sort of a rhythm. Plink. Plunk. Plink. Plunk. Plink. Plink. Plunk. Plink. It reminded her of a tune in a dance class she'd taken when she was little. Ginny tried to remember the movements.   
  
Step. Twirl... ?  
  
Ginny began to make up her own movements. She'd grown taller as well as more graceful since the last time she'd tried it. It was fun! Splashing through puddles, dancing to a song only she could hear. Even though she was fourteen, Ginny felt like a little girl again.  
  
***  
  
Harry sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, trying to study for the particularly nasty Potions test the next day. Plink. Plink. Plink. The rain hitting the window pane was driving him crazy.   
  
Finally, he got up and walked toward the window. He stared out into the cloudy, but not dark, sky and watched the rain fall. It was sort of depressing, but at the same time, peaceful. Suddenly Harry looked down, far below Gryffindor Tower.   
  
Someone was outside in the rain. How strange.  
  
Harry watched the figure's robes flutter in the wind as they spun. A flash of bright flame-colored hair left him in no doubt as to who it was. Ginny Weasley was outside in the rainstorm, dancing through the mud. He grinned, watching her twirl, her hair flying in the wind.  
  
'What a crazy kid,' he thought fondly.  
  
Harry watched Ginny for a bit longer. No one else was in the Gryffindor Common Room; he knew for certain that Ron and Hermione were somewhere together. He grinned again, this time a bit sadly, thinking of his two best friends in the world. They'd finally realized their feelings for each other, and although they didn't spend any less time with Harry, they spent much alone. Harry somehow felt uncomfortably lonely while they were gone. It was as if, deep down, he needed someone to love and understand, the same way Ron and Hermione did. At least they didn't argue so much. But he had grown to miss the constant bickering between them; it had been funny to watch.  
  
His thoughts turned back to Ginny. She was a very good dancer. Slender and graceful, she'd grown a lot since last year, both in mind and body.   
  
Bored with his studies, and in need of something to do, Harry climbed out of the portrait hole and made his way down the stairs, out of Gryffindor Tower. He carefully opened the door to the courtyard so he wouldn't disturb her, and sat down on the marble steps.   
  
Rain dripped down onto his robes and jet-black hair. He didn't notice it.  
  
***  
  
Ginny felt nearly out of breath. Her wet hair and robes were now clinging to her. She spun in a large puddle, water spraying up around her, stopped, and made an elaborate ending bow for no one in particular.   
  
In fact, she had no idea she even had an audience. So she was greatly startled when she heard applause.  
  
Ginny turned and saw Harry, his bright green eyes sparkling, standing out in the rain, clapping for her. Her face turned crimson with embarrassment. She hadn't wanted anyone to see her!  
  
'He must think I'm insane!' she thought. Ginny dared to look at Harry, and he was smiling. He really seemed sincere...  
  
***  
  
Harry watched Ginny blush and turn away. She looked cute when she was embarrassed, he had to admit. He face matched her fiery hair, which was, at the moment, very wet. Suddenly she looked up and smiled shyly.   
  
Harry found his voice. "You're a really great dancer, you know."  
  
Ginny looked, if possible, more embarrassed. "You really think so?"  
  
"Yeah, I do."  
  
A silence. Harry felt... shy, for one of the very few times in his life. Ginny somehow took his feelings and turned them upside sown, so they were all confused and he didn't know what to say.  
  
***  
  
Ginny stared at Harry closely. He seemed kind of embarrassed himself.  
  
'I wonder what about,' she thought to herself. 'I mean, I didn't see HIM dancing around like a lunatic in a rainstorm!"  
  
Involuntarily, she laughed.  
  
She was startled at first when Harry joined in her laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" he asked.  
  
"I'm not quite sure!" Ginny replied.  
  
The rain suddenly stopped as the sun broke out from behind the clouds, flooding the courtyard with light. It reflected off the drops of water trembling on the edges of leaves, and found the dew on the grass. The courtyard looked like it was made of diamonds, sparkling in the pale light.  
  
Ginny stared in amazement. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"   
  
Harry nodded in agreement. The courtyard felt warmer now that the sun was out. He watched Ginny looking around. She seemed so happy. And she looked so peaceful and, well, beautiful, even when her robes were all wet and her hair was clinging limply to her shoulders and back.   
  
As if sensing his thoughts, Ginny turned to him and grinned, embarrassment forgotten. He smiled back.   
  
They talked for awhile, and Harry finally realized that she was a real person with a real life, not just "Ron's little sister". She was caring and understanding; she seemed to really want to know him for the person he was, not the "boy who lived". Ginny wasn't stuck-up or amazed by him like every other girl, with the exception of Hermione. He really liked her-- he wondered why he hadn't seen it before. Maybe he just hadn't given her a chance to be herself.  
  
He wished he could tell her; but he felt shy... what if she didn't feel the same way anymore? Sure, she'd practically been obsessed with him earlier, but she'd definitely matured since then...  
  
Gradually Ginny began to feel more comfortable with Harry. When she was younger, she just admired him, but really didn't take the time (or have the courage) to talk to him much. That changed once Ron and Hermione started spending more time together. Ginny realized Harry wasn't some stuck-up, famous kid that everyone talked about; he had feelings and he seemed sincere in wanting to get to know her. Maybe they both just needed someone to talk to; to understand and be understood by. She began to fall for him all over again; this time not for his fame, but for the person he was.  
  
She wished she could tell him; but she still felt shy... what if he didn't feel the same way?  
  
Their conversation turned quieter, a bit forced. Harry felt comfortable with her, he really did, but not knowing if they were to be just friends was driving him more insane than the rain on the window had an hour earlier. Ginny felt like she was finally understood; there'd never been much time in a family of seven kids to worry about understanding each other. But not knowing if they were only friends was driving her crazy...  
  
There was a lull in the conversation.  
  
He had to tell her. Harry finally realized he loved her; she'd always been nice to him and now that he finally knew her, he realized he'd liked her for a long time.  
  
She had to tell him. Ginny realized she loved him, and for himself. She'd liked him for no reason whatsoever in her first year, but now that she knew him, she knew she had been right. Love at first sight? It was a strange concept.  
  
I have to tell her!  
  
I have to tell him!  
  
This battle raged in their minds until both were just ready to blurt it out. At the same instant, Harry and Ginny turned toward each other.   
  
Ginny saw something shining in Harry's bright green eyes that wasn't just respect and friendship; it was love. Love for her. She almost gasped, but continued looking steadily into Harry's eyes. Could he see any of the feeling she held for him?   
  
Harry looked into Ginny's dark eyes and saw none of the silly admiration of their earlier years, it was genuine compassion and... love? Did she really love him?  
  
Of course she did, and of course he loved her back. There wasn't any need for words; what was written on their faces was far more precious than any words either could say.  
  
[A/N: Am I getting too soppy here? tell me pleez... ok, time for some craziness, romance is over, peeps! I mean, not that there was much to begin with, but- hey, I'm working on it! ^_^]  
  
It began to rain again. Neither cared. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand, and they ran out into the rain together.   
  
And danced.   
  
***   
  
Far above them in Gryffindor Tower, Ron was returning to the common room. Walking past the window, he did a double-take at what he saw below. 'What?' he thought. He began to laugh. Harry and Ginny looked like they were possessed.   
  
"What's so funny?" Hermione asked, walking over. She stared out the window, like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "That's so cute!" she exclaimed.  
  
Ron's face was turning red from laughter. "C'mon, Hermione!" he said, grabbing her hand.  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked, trying to keep up with him as he ran down the stairs.  
  
"We're gonna go dance in the rain, of course!"  
  
***  
  
Needless to say, Harry and Ginny were quite surprised when Ron and Hermione came dashing out to join them.   
  
"We decided you guys shouldn't have all the fun," Ron said, in explanation.  
  
"Definitely," agreed Hermione.  
  
The water began to pour down harder. They all thought how it was funny that something so simple could bring them all together. The four companions' happy laughter rose into the air as they danced in the rain, which poured down from the heavens like a gift of light. And truly, it was a gift, for it had shown them that the best things in life really can come from something no one really thinks about, until they experience it themselves.  
  
And they would never forget this day, no matter what happened, for the simple enjoyment of dancing in the rain was locked in their hearts as carefully as the love they had all found.   
  
*****  
The End  
*****  
  
Disclaimer: I own the plot. If anyone else has used something similar to it, I apologize. I did not copy you. Thanx. ^_^ Characters (in order of appearance): Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, all belong to JK Rowling, unfortunately for me!  
  
A.A/N (Another Author's Note): I'm so happy to have written an actual fanfic. It really means a lot to me, but I'm not sure if it was good enough... Was it just silly? Was it bad? *hides under computer desk* The ending was so hard to write! Argh! ... Did you like it? If you didn't, just give me some pointers (not flames), but tell me if you thought it was even a little bit good.... Please? ^_^  
  
Peace, Aurora ~*~  
  
p.s. Sorry about the LONG Author's Notes, peeps, I just seem to ramble on and on and on...   
  
  
  



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